English L'Abri

This lecture explores the promises, products, and people of 'Wellness Culture'. After a brief history of the movement, we explore how capitalism, science, and technology have shaped it in the 21st century. We'll then articulate an alternative understanding of health and wellness seen in Christianity—a much more accessible, inclusive, and hopeful vision, particularly for those in society who need health the most: the sick, the elderly, the disabled, and marginalised.Please note that the ideas expressed in this lecture do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship.For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over two thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

While some dream of a society where perfect justice is enacted or where technology allows us to live in pleasure and plenty, others foretell nightmares of climate catastrophe, cultural collapse or Artificial Intelligence making humans obsolete. Amidst these competing utopian/dystopian futures, what does it look like to have Christian hope?Please note that the ideas expressed in this lecture do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship.For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over two thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

In 1944, fifty-two year old Dutch watchmaker Corrie ten Boom was arrested by the Gestapo for sheltering Jews. After surviving Ravensbruck and losing most of her family, she embarked on a three decade ministry, sharing a message of love, forgiveness, and hope. Who was Corrie ten Boom and how did she become the kind of person who builds secret rooms, undermines Nazis, survives a concentration camp, and then goes on to share the gospel with refugees, prisoners, and the Nazis who killed her family? Lecture resources: PowerPoint presentationPlease note that the ideas expressed in this lecture do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship.For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over two thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

Ingvild Hellenes, a L'Abri worker and lecturer on Christian hospitality and global justice, explores how we treat the invisible people who make our goods. She contrasts consumerism with hospitality, examines exploitation in global supply chains, and offers practical steps like Fairtrade, traceability, small local actions, and imagining meeting producers face to face.

This lecture covers different artistic interpretations of Jesus’ Ascension, from early Eastern Orthodox icons to Renaissance and Baroque paintings, highlighting how artists have grappled with the theological implications of the Ascension. The lecture also encourages reflection on the visual representation of theological concepts and the role of art in understanding and interpreting religious events.Lecture Resources: PowerPoint deckPlease note that the ideas expressed in this lecture do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship.For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over two thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

What have the cluttered landscapes of Pieter Bruegel the Elder to do with the complex plots of Fyodor Dostoevsky? In each, we find subtle allusions to the holy, hidden and tucked away in the least likely of places. Why do these artists hide the holy? And what are the implications for theology and the arts in our age?.Lecture Resources: PowerPoint deckPlease note that the ideas expressed in this lecture do not necessarily represent the views of L’Abri Fellowship.For more resources, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library at labriideaslibrary.org. The library contains over two thousand lectures and discussions that explore questions about the reality and relevance of Christianity. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com

Phillip Johnston, a Christian lecturer exploring theology and culture, examines Genesis 1’s idea of human dominion and its relevance for technology and AI. He contrasts modern tech imagery with biblical creation. He traces how tools can help or hinder our calling, offers a traffic-light approach to tech, and warns against AI becoming an idol. He ends by pointing to Christ as the model for true dominion.

Jo Swinney, a Christian conservation communicator with A Rocha and author on home and belonging. She recounts moments that reveal uprootedness and explores causes like moves and climate change. Short, practical practices and rituals for making a home are shared. She reflects on community, pilgrimage versus rootedness, and spiritual habits that anchor belonging.

John O'Callaghan, author, poet and former pastoral carer from Newcastle, Australia, talks about his book The Doors of the Ocean. He explores suffering through poetry, prose and photography. He uses beach imagery and personal rescue stories. He reflects on pastoral care, solitude, lament in churches, and how art and faith meet in pain.

Alastair Roberts, an author and lecturer known for his expertise in Christian theology, dives deep into the role of Christ as the key to understanding the Scriptures. He explores how Christ illuminates the biblical texts, addressing concerns about typological interpretations versus literal readings. Roberts parallels the Old Testament to stained glass, revealing Christ's glory through its narratives. He emphasizes the importance of scriptural formation and discusses how these insights influence both personal faith and broader cultural reading.